A little help from the Official Cleveland Marathon Bloggers on how to fuel

I decided to ask the Official Cleveland Marathon bloggers 3 specific questions on how they fuel because EVERYONE FUELS DIFFERENTLY! What works for one person doesn’t work for someone else. It is a formula you have to play around with to see what works for your body.

1.) what do you eat before a run?Before a run (or swim or bike or kettle bell class) I’m eating a small amount of natural carbs and protein – good example is a shredded coconut with a couple tablespoons of almond butter.

2.) what do you eat after a run?After a workout I eat protein & some veggies – good example is a hard boiled egg and some sweet potato.

3) what do you eat the night before a race?The night before a race (though the only recent one I did involved my kayak!) is my normal meal – healthy protein, lots of veggies and fruit.

1.) What do you eat before a run?
I always run in the morning and find I wake up HUNGRY! I usually make my way down to the kitchen, have ½ a caramel rice cake with some PB2, a few scoops of Greek yogurt, and a third of a quest bar. I know it’s a strange combination but I find it works for me. It has a good amount of protein and carbs.

2.) What do you eat after a run?
After a run I LOVE to have a smoothie! I got a vitamix for Christmas and it seriously has been life changing . My smoothies are typically the following combination:
1 ½ cups water
Handful of kale
2 scoops of protein powder
1 cup of frozen strawberries
½ frozen banana
½ cup frozen blueberries
Then after making I like to add a few fresh blueberries, changes up the consistency a bit.

Ohhh and post run I always have a Nuun in water. Totally helps with recovery and so I don’t get a headache.

3) What do you eat the night before a race?
The night before a race I love to eat oatmeal with fruit. The fruit is usually some bananas and strawberries. I find it helps my stomach and provides me with the carbs I need for race day.

1.) What do you eat before a run?The night before a run I usually eat chicken and rice or chicken and pasta. I have to be really careful to not eat something out of the ordinary because I know I will be paying for it on the run.

2.) What do you eat after a run?Before a run I usually have a bagel or toast with peanut butter and banana and water. Seems to work well for me.

3) What do you eat the night before a race?After a run, all I want to do is usually crush some Chipotle, which is also my 2-day pre-run fuel. I’m addicted to the chicken bowl with a scoop of white and brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, corn salsa, and cheese!

1.) What do you eat before a run?I usually don’t eat anything before a run. Sometimes I will have a cookie if I’m really hungry.

2.) What do you eat after a run?After AM runs I will have breakfast which consists of a bowl of greek yogurt and a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar. After PM runs I usually have dinner. If it’s a workout I’ll also have a protein drink. I used to drink chocolate milk after runs but I’ve stopped doing that.

3) What do you eat the night before a race?I don’t have a specific pre-race meal; I just eat whatever I happen to have cooked for dinner that week.

1.) What do you eat before a run? I have to run on an empty stomach – Have to!

2.) What do you eat after a run?Usually run in the AM so my normal breakfast which is often my homemade pumpkin baked oatmeal or egg whites with spinach & tomatoes. Oh, and coconut water!

3) What do you eat the night before a race?
Something that I would normally eat, I am not running a distance that is enough to really call for a special meal the night before a race. I personally feel that unless you are running and hour+ that it is pretty much business as usual, our bodies have PLENTY to keep us going! I am a 100% clean eater; whole foods and very little protein from meat and poultry, if anything.

One thought on “A little help from the Official Cleveland Marathon Bloggers on how to fuel”

If I’m running during the week, I am running after work so I don’t typically eat anything so it won’t upset my stomach. But if I’m running first thing in the morning I have a banana and either a piece of toast w/ a little but butter or half a protein bar.

The night before a a big race, like a half marathon, I try to eat a normal size dinner with protein and carbs. I try and make my lunch the day before a big race a bigger, carb meal.

After my weekend long runs I like to drink chocolate milk and half a bagel to recover afterwards. Sometimes after a really long run or a long distance race I don’t have a huge appetite that day and eat normal meals. However, in those cases I’m always super hungry the following day, what most runners refer to as “run-gry.”

About Me

30 something wife, doxie mom and runner from Cleveland, OH. I am a marathon maniac, Boston Marathoner and an Ironman! I have completed 16 marathons (17 if you include the Ironman) and am an Official Blogger for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon. I am also a proud ambassador for Nuun
I also enjoy traveling, my Croatian heritage, playing tambura, baking, reading, hangig out with my amazing husband Ryan and our dogs Bodhi & Bandit.
Contact me at: MojaMala2blog@gmail.com